Big year
by Castlestar4
Summary: Maisy Bray is starting year 5 of hogwarts. She's worried about exams, like usual. Her friends are just as annoying as usual too. This year will involve more drama than she expects... and more boys... Something she has honestly never thought about before. Honestly! Set in marauders era and will invlove Maisy getting to know them and drama relating to their story.
1. Big year this year

**Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been looking at my old agentsif SHIELD stuff and realising how bad it is. I decided I wanted to write something in the marauders era so I wrote this. Please review and also this isn't a planned story so any suggestions as to where to take the story are welcome.**

I took a seat just as the train lurched forward. We were off. Another year at hogwarts here I come.

I had left my parents on platform 3, saying goodbye to them there. Being muggles they didn't really understand what went into getting to the hogwarts express and I thought seeing me disappear through a solid wall might be too much for them. Afterall they had never seen magic with their own eyes, my sister and I were both underage so had not touched our wands all summer. It felt nice to have it back with me though, it was like being reunited with an old friend.

Only after helping my sister, Jasmine, find the compartment with her friends in did I start looking for mine. My sister and I had grown up very close to each other and as a result I trusted and loved her more than anyone else in the world. We had always enjoyed each other's company, according to our Mum, preferring to play with each other than our friends at nursery - and even Primary. That didn't stop us making other friends though. She had her group and I had mine. I tried to see her as much as I could at school but that was easier said than done. She was in Ravenclaw and I was in Gryffindor; houses tended not to interact with each other too much. We often tried to meet up in the library and do homework together though, something we had agreed to do after the first day back.

I searched most of the compartments on the train before I found the one with my friends in. Enzo Spencer, my oldest friend, was the first one I spotted. He was a pureblood but not particularly proud of it. He liked to have a good complain and I was one of the few who could put up with it for hours on end. He was always complaining about his height or his brother and sister. Having come from a slightly broken home where both parents had to work two jobs each to keep them going, he had been sent to an ordinary muggle school (Which is where we met. We had not been particularly close until year 6 when he told me I was a witch and explained to me about the wizarding world.) so he was 'out the way'. When I thought about this I always felt a bit guilty about my fairly wealthy upbringing, one parent working, regular holidays abroad and that sort of thing, but it wasn't my fault I suppose. He rarely spoke about his family but I knew better than to ask. He liked to pretend he didn't have siblings most of the time and he had constant arguments with his parents. My close relationship with my family and sister had always been somewhat a mystery to him. Enzo was not very thick skinned and quick to lash out if someone insulted him or said something he didn't approve of. Very unlike me, who would tend to just agree with the bully about all the mean things they say about me. I still remember last year when a Slytherin girl had tried and failed to make me hex her:

"Oi! Bray!" I turned around to face a Slytherin girl at the other end of the corridor. "You're foal and ugly (I assume this had something to do with the fact that I had never put makeup or any beauty product on in my life) who doesn't deserve to get good grades,(Which was something I did a lot and was highly embarrassed about) always hanging with your sister," She smirked at me. Jokes and insults about the amount of time I spent with my sister were far too common to affect me. "Gonna hex me now are you?" She asked maliciously.

I, however, smiled and said, "I think you're right, I'm really not the most deserving of good grades am I? I do get rather embarrassed about it sometimes, you know?" She froze in shock, she had probably never gotten a reply like that to one of her snide remarks before. I loved the look on bully's faces when you did the thing they least expect. "And also," I added, "If you want to make me get a detention for the fourth time in my life you are going to have to do better than that." I didn't say it in a malicious way, more as a matter of fact statement. "Subtlety isn't your strong point is it?" I turned around and continued my journey to charms, grinning to myself. I simply loved it when people tried to insult me!

"Big year this year," I told the compartment, "OWLs and all."

"I know they sound really scary but I'm sure if we stay calm and revise properly it will go fine." Aiza said comfortingly.

"I wasn't worried," I said rather defensively, "Just making a point."

Aiza went red. "Sorry." She mumbled. I sighed; Aiza said sorry far to much.

Aiza was always the calm one in the group. She didn't crack under pressure and always had the best words of advice for anyone who wanted to ask her something. She always knew the best thing to say. 'Words of wisdom' Enzo had said last year. The one problem was that she was constantly apologizing for something or other. Most of the time something she shouldn't have been apologizing for. It was quite sweet but she needed to learn how to stand up for herself. She wasn't very good at that. She was always affected by the usual Slytherin taunts like 'mudblood'. She would always run off immediately to the toilets and not return for a few minutes. This caused the Slytherins to do it even more.

It was only at this point I noticed we were missing someone. "Where's Kate?" I asked.

"With James." Noah said, as though this explained everything. Noah was an excitable boy who was always fidgeting and struggled to sit still. He always had to be doing something. He had dark hair and was quite tall. Currently he was fiddling with something he had clearly bought at diagon alley. I recognised it as a Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment product.

"James Potter?" I asked, looking for confirmation. After all we did not normally meddle with the marauders.

"Of course she is," Enzo replied, shocked that I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Honestly, where have you been all summer?" Aiza sighed.

"At home, with my parents. I haven't had a scrap of anything to do with wizardry all summer. Like normal." I replied slightly agitated. Every year they expected me to know everything that had gone on in the summer but how could I? I didn't own an owl and my parents were muggles. Where could I get my information from?

"James and Kate are going out now." Noah stated. Oscar sighed. He was the eldest in the whole year because he had been born on the 1st September. It was his birthday today but we hadn't mentioned it because in 2nd year when we did celebrate on the train he ran from the room, cried and made us promise never to wish him happy birthday again. I found this strange but Oscar was rather strange. He was the only one who hadn't spoken yet but, then again, he tended not to talk too much. He was shy but always kept on top of his work. He had to try really hard but he never got a really bad grade. Unfortunately for him this opened him up to constant mockery and rude remarks, what with good grades and refusal to talk much. He had never once replied to a snide or snappy remark though and people were finally beginning to get bored at insulting him because they were getting no reaction from him. I admired him for how calm he stayed whilst being verbally attacked. My way of dealing with it worked, but his was better. Thinking about it, I hardly knew anything about him. Did he have siblings, a home, alive parents? I just didn't know. I knew he was a pureblood but I had forgotten where I got that information from. Not from him surely, he liked to keep himself to himself.

"Why are you sighing, Oscar?" I asked, "What's the problem?"

And then one of those rare occasions where Oscar spoke happened. "It's obvious isn't it."

"Yes it is. That's why Maisy asked." Said a sarcastic Enzo.

Oscar ignored her. "James likes Lily, everyone knows that. He's going out with Kate to make her jealous. A smart way to do it too; go out with the pureblood to get the-" But then he came to an abrupt halt, went bright red and looked down, pulling out a book to read. He looked positively disgusted by something.

"Why didn't you tell her that was the only reason James asked her out?" Oscar didn't reply. I sighed this time, dreading the day James revealed the truth to her. Kate in a mood was frightening. If you tried to comfort her or offer advice she would deny anything you said was helpful and most likely hex you right there. On the other hand, if you didn't offer her comfort or advice she would hex you later. It was a lose-lose situation, and a guaranteed bad day. The worst part was she was regularly in a bad mood. The slightest thing would tip Kate off and she was often bidding for attention. Aiza and I were always the only ones to see through her act to the sly thoughts within (honestly, she should have been in Slytherin) but everyone else would fuss around her, giving her tonnes of attention. When she wasn't in a mood she was quite enjoyable to be with really; bouncy, positive, funny and chatty. There was no mid-point for her - she was either really over the top happy or in such a foul mood nothing could cheer her up.

"Shame she's not here," Said Noah. "I need a hand with that herbology essay." Kate was best at herbology but none of us had ever really got the hang of it.

"Me too." Said Enzo.

"And me!" Piped up Aiza

"I'll go get her." I stood up boldly.

"Are you sure? I mean, you want to crash into the marauders compartment?" Enzo asked.

"Calm down. They're just people. No different to you or me."

"Except that they have about three times more popularity than us." Mumbled Enzo under his breath. She had not meant for me to hear but I just caught it.

"What was that Enzo?" I asked mockingly.

"Nothing," She said quickly. I smiled to myself. Calling people up on things they didn't want me to notice was always enjoyable.

"Be quick won't you." said Aiza.

"I will." I left the compartment.

I closed the door behind me when I realised I had no idea where Kate actually was. I was just about to give up and turn around when I heard a voice.


	2. The one marauder I could stand

"A _prefect_ Remus, honestly…" That was Sirius.

"I thought you were better than that." That was James now. I had never liked him. It was always the obnoxious big-headed ones that were popular. I strained my ears in an attempt to find out where the sound was coming from.

"Dumbledore only did it because he wants me to keep you under control." Remus Lupin was the one marauder I could stand. He had never partaken in the bullying of Severus, a slytherin in our year, or been obnoxious, loud and nasty. All in all, if he wasn't hanging out with Sirius and James all the time (And if I was a little bit more popular) I would have made an effort to get to know him. Perhaps I would learn to know him a little more, I was a prefect too after all, and prefects tended to spend time together. "And tip you off if you do anything wrong," Remus added.

"You won't will you," Peter sounded petrified. He had always seemed a bit strange to me.

"Don't be silly, Peter. Of course I won't."

t this point I knew where the sound was coming from - the compartment opposite. I should have knocked then but instead i continued eavesdropping; it was too good to miss a private marauders conversation, apart from Kate of course.

"I have some excellent news," James sounded rather excited.

"Go on," said Sirius matching his excitement.

"Yeah…" Kate had finally spoken, although rather vaguely.

"I have been made the quidditch team captain and I'm going to host a full trial on the second week back cos so many left last year." I started thinking to myself - '_quidditch trials? Maybe…' _But I didn't have time to linger on my thoughts.

"That's excellent news, James." Remus said.

"Yes, yes, well done you." Kate added in an offhand sort of way. Wow. Kate really didn't know what she was doing did she?

"Yes but let's not forget that you…" Sirius paused for mock dramatic effect, "Are a prefect, Remus."

Remus pretended not to notice the mocking tone in Sirius' voice. "That reminds me, I must visit the prefects carriage briefly." I heard a large groan coming from everyone inside the compartment and then, before I knew what was happening, the door slid open and Remus was standing shocked in front of me. My voice caught in my throat.

Sirius spoke first.

"Eavesdropping, Bray?" He snapped.

What did I have to lose? "Yes." I was already busted anyway. This was going well. They looked shocked at my lack of dishonesty but I moved on quickly. "Kate, the others want to talk to you… In _our_ compartment."

Kate tutted but left the compartment promptly. I was about to turn and follow her back when a thought occurred to me. I needed to visit the prefects carriage too.

"Remus," I said rather timidly, "Do you think I could come with you? To the prefects carriage I mean." I said hastily. Sirius and James smirked.

"Yes but you know the prefects carriage is only for prefects." I loved the matter-of-fact tone he used when he talked. He never sounded awkward, embarrassed or rude. And he never judge people until he really got to know them, which was helpful in this case because James, Sirius and Peter had made a snappy judgement about me that I knew was not pleasant.

"I know." I said.

"Oh, right," said Remus, catching on. "Let's go." He turned round to Sirius, Peter and James who were all smirking openly, "See you in a minute." And then he led the way to the front of the train where the prefect's carriage was.

Remus and I had a good chat about the summer but both of us were careful not to mention anything awkward. I enjoyed telling him about the fun I had had with my sister and my muggle holiday to majorca and he wasted no time in telling me what a lonely summer he had had. I couldn't imagine being an only child. Eventually I brought the conversation to the quidditch trials.

"I heard James is quidditch captain." I said in what I hoped was a curious off-hand sort of way.

"Why looking to try out?" At first I thought he was mocking me but then I realised he was just being polite.

"I was thinking maybe chaser." I had often thought about trying for chaser, I had played football in my primary school and had been rather good at it. I liked to remind myself of the similarities between the two sports - finding space, looking for a pass, shooting, acting quickly. They seemed more and more similar every time I thought about it - apart from the fact quidditch was played on broomsticks in the air of coarse.

"You'll have to be good. You know what, forget that. You have to get Sirius to like you."

I thought this was rather strange. "James is captain, besides he should base it on talent, not likability."

"Like that's going to happen," he muttered disapprovingly. "Sirius will manage to convince James into getting who _he_ wants on the team. I don't know why he was made captain. Silly idea really." Said Remus, shaking his head. "Don't tell him I said that." He added looking worried

I sighed. "Course." But I was still thinking about quidditch trials. If what Remus said was true then my hopes of ever being on the team were ruined. I had a bad reputation among the marauders now - except Remus.

We arrived at the front of the train and Remus knocked politely but confidently on the door. This year's head boy - Steven Durd, a Gryffindor - answered. "Come in." Remus gave me a nod and then pushed the door open, boldly leading the way in.

Inside there were lots of other prefects. I had never really taken into account how many there were but if there were six for each house - 2 per year in 5th year and up - then that made 24 prefects. Luckily they weren't all here now, it wasn't big enough for that many people.

"Names?" Asked Steven Durd. Steven Durd was very organised, he always had a very precise plan that no one was allowed to change. I supposed this was why he was made head boy.

"Remus Lupin."

"Maisy Bray." That was me.

He then went into a long speech which I didn't hear much of. Basically we had the power to take points from our own house, give out detentions and we had to patrol the corridors at night. He invited us to stay but Remus was quick to reply, telling Steven that we had our own carriages to get back to. After saying a hasty goodbye, I followed Remus from the room.

"Well that seemed long and pointless," I muttered, once I was sure we were out of range of the ears of Steven.

"It did didn't it. I knew everything he told us anyway." Me too.

"Oh well," I said when we arrived at his compartment. "See you when we are on duty... I guess."

"Yes," Remus said, "Or quidditch trials," He added with a smile. He really was very polite, if not the most good looking.

"Yeah, yeah," I replied with a casual wave, it was nice to feel comfortable among people other than my friends.

I turned around and began to head back to my compartment. I heard the door open and close behind me, along with a loud snigger from Sirius. Honestly, why did everyone like him so much? I don't know why I was asking myself that question, the answer was obvious. He was very good looking. Lucky for me I had, all my life, been immune to that sort of thing. I had never had a crush, not once. Which was pretty impressive for someone my age. I had often had to deal with my friends embarrassing crushes but had never had to deal with one myself. I imagined what that feeling would be and was almost certain I wouldn't like it at all, if and when I got my first crush. When your belly leaps every time you see them, jealous whenever you see them having fun with anyone else - just hard work really, not worth it.

I made my way back to my compartment and fumbled about with the door. Seriously? I couldn't open the door - this was going well.

What I didn't know was things were about to get worse, for down the corridor just then came Regulus Black - Sirius' brother - who was in Slytherin, and _not_ very nice.

"Lost your sense of sight have you, Bray!" He sneered at me.

"It does seem that way," I smiled and laughed politely, going for my usual 'kill 'em with kindness' tactic.

Regulus lost his snigger but didn't leave, lucky for me the trolley lady walked past and knocked on the door of the marauder's compartment. Sirius opened the door and glanced at my situation. He guessed what was happening.

"Go away, Regulus," He muttered, calmly. Regulus still didn't say anything, just gave me one glare and left down the corridor. "Sorry," Sirius muttered, almost embarrassed.

"It's fine, really. Rude remarks have no affect on me. I'm very thick skinned. Besides, he was kind of right." I indicated towards the door, "I can't open it." Lucky for me embarrassment was not part of my emotional range.

"Here I got it," He strode over to the door and opened it easily for me.

I chuckled and said, "Wow, I'm bad at opening doors now whatever next!" Sirius smiled and went back to his compartment opposite to purchase some every flavour beans. Maybe he wasn't so bad afterall.


	3. It had been a long trip

I stepped into the compartment with my friends in and took a seat, closing the door behind me. My friends were gawping at me, except Oscar, who was still reading.

"What?" I asked confused.

"You just spoke to... like... the most popular - and good looking - boy in school without even… even…" Enzo seemed lost for words.

"Without looking embarrassed or…" Kate trailed off into the distance.

"Or being lost for words, like them," Aiza indicated Enzo and kate. We all laughed. I realised Noah had left. Evidently the conversation had become far too boring and he had gone to join the Hufflepuff boys he sometimes hung around with.

There was a knock at the door. Being nearest to the door, I stood up and opened it.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" A high raspy voice said. The trolley lady was here.

"I'll have two chocolate frogs and some jelly slugs please," I handed over some sickles and sat down, carefully opening a chocolate frog.

"Just a liquorice wand please." Enzo couldn't afford any more than that.

"Ugh! I hate them," I said. Oscar bought a pot of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour beans and… a liquorice wand, Kate got herself a chocolate frog and Aiza got _three_ cauldron cakes; they were his favourites!

"Darn it!" I said, through a mouthful of chocolate frog, after the trolley lady had left. "Nicholas Flamel again!" Five years in a row, _five_, I had got him on the train. No offence Nicolas but you were getting kind of dull.

"I've got Alberic Grunnion," said Kate, opening hers, "Wanna swap? I haven't got Nicolas yet."

"Sure," I replied, handing her my fifth Nicolas. "Who is Alberic anyway?"

"You look," she chucked the card at me.

"Seriously?" I rolled my eyes and collected the card from the floor where it had landed. Then I read the card out. "'_This nineteenth-century wizard invented the Dung Bomb'_. Cool!" I could barely stop myself from grinning due to my coming joke, "Maybe I'll become famous for inventing a ball that farts when you throw it." The carriage burst into laughter. Who needs to be popular? I had the best group of friends.

After we had finished our herbology homework, we all changed into our robes. When we had changed there were shouts from outside the compartment. What now? We all stood up and slid the compartment door open. There was a crowd of people surrounding something I couldn't see. I was almost certain I knew what was going on and, sure enough, I spotted Severus, Regulus, Sirius, James and Peter with their wands out, standing on opposite sides of the corridor. I pushed through the crowd a little to get a clearer view.

Severus was standing in front of Regulus wand out, sneering. Regulus was looking almost confused but with a set determined look on his face all the same. On the other side, closest to me, I saw Sirius and James standing side by side but they were facing Severus and Regulus so I couldn't see their faces. Peter was standing at the front of my crowd, wand out but only hanging limp by his side. I looked around for Remus but couldn't see him.

"That's not true!" Sneered James, I was a little confused; I hadn't heard the line that had undoubtedly come from the Slytherins before.

"Yeah," agreed Sirius, "The first thing you need to do when we get to the castle is take a shower!"

"And give your hair a good wash!" Added James. Peter laughed the loudest. I continued looking around for Remus. The rest of the Marauders were here taunting Severus, why wasn't he?

I tried to get back to my compartment but it was blocked by the crowd so I headed into the marauders compartment to get away from the situation and be alone. I rushed in and shut the door and didn't even notice that Remus was sitting in the corner until I sat down.

"Oh, hi," I said weakly, surprised.

"Hi," he mumbled looking down, clearly pretending to read. Some prefect he was but to be fair I hadn't done anything either. We sat in silence for about a minute hearing muffled shouts from beyond the door. Then I spoke up.

"We should go and stop it." I said. He went red and did not look up.

The compartment door opened and a thoroughly disgruntled Sirius, James and Peter entered the compartment. I passed them on the way out and asked James what had happened but Sirius replied, "Well it was Lily, wasn't it?" Of course, why hadn't I realised. Lily had been friends with Severus since 1st year though I had never understood why. James and Sirius tormented Severus but Lily always got in the way. James only stopped if Lily told him to; it was common knowledge that James had a huge crush on her - even Lily knew, and she wasn't very happy about it. "Anyway, we'll be there soon." Sirius said.

James was so distraught that he pushed me hard as he went passed and I nearly fell over. Peter followed suit, copying his friend as normal, so I got another little shove for good measure. I raised my eyebrows at Sirius who gave me a fleeting apologetic look before sitting down. I left the compartment and shut the door, catching Peter saying, "Oh, Moony, you should have been there. It was hilarious!"

I sighed. It had been an eventful day. If this was how everyday was going to be, it was going to be a long year.

The remainder of the journey was not very interesting. I lost a game of exploding snap to Aiza and Enzo complained about his hair for a little while. Kate went back to James. (I wondered again why she had seemed so unbothered when James had told her he was quidditch captain. Surely she knew as his girlfriend she would have to celebrate his achievements.) Noah came back a few minutes after Kate had left. Oscar barely raised his head from the book he was reading and still seemed a little put out.

The Hogwarts express arrived slightly later than it should have but it was a highly uneventful journey on the carriages. I watched the tiny petrified 1st years follow the booming voice of Hagrid calling from the other side of the station. I remember my first arrival at Hogwarts, journeying on boats over the lake and seeing a huge castle in the distance - Hogwarts. It was the first time I truly realised how amazing magic was. It was simpler in those times. Now I knew all about the problems with magic and it was no longer very exciting - pretty normal actually - and Hogwarts was just, well, school. A little dull, sometimes exciting, but overall hard-work.

Magic was normal for me now.

But so were all the problems that come with it.


	4. Sausages

I took a seat next to Enzo and opposite me was Kate. On the other side of me was Remus who was accompanied by the rest of the marauders. James on the other side next to Kate, although I noticed him glancing down the table towards Lily a lot. Lily was sitting with her friend Alice Prewett who was nice but who I thought was quite nosy. The great hall filled with chatter about the coming year until the doors opened and Professor McGonagall strode in with the tiny first years following behind. The students in the hall fell silent and stared at the new students until they formed a crowd in front of the teachers desk. A stool was placed in the middle of the hall with an old hat on top of it. I watched as the majority of the first years looked shocked at this very un-extravagant looking hat that seemed to be the centre of attention. The hall waited for the hat to begin its yearly song. Which it did. It was a good one this year:

"_Hello, I'm the sorting hat,_

_And I can see your head,_

_What's inside that brain of yours?_

_Let's see what it says._

_Is Gryffindor the place for you?_

_Are you daring and brave?_

_Never one to shy away,_

_Should someone need a save._

_Ravenclaw, the smart and wise,_

_Never gets things wrong,_

_Always clever and prepared,_

_Is this where you belong?_

_Or perhaps it's Hufflepuff,_

_Loyal, true and kind,_

_Always smile all day long,_

_Patient and polite._

_Slytherin are here as well,_

_Sly and cunning too,_

_Set apart from all the rest,_

_Is this the place for you?_

_And so you see you have four choices,_

_Which one will it be?_

_I'm sorry you don't get to choose,_

_Because it's up to me!"_

The hall broke into applause and I heard James and Sirius whoop loudly from behind. I clapped hard along with the others.

"Now then, I will call you up one by one and then I will place the sorting hat on your head. It will decide to which house you belong." McGonagall spoke loud and clear above the rising chatter that had come when the applause had died down. "Allen, Scarlet!" The hall went quiet and watched as a very small first year shuffled forwards from the back of the crowd. She sat tentatively on the stool and McGonagall put the sorting hat on her head. It slipped slightly but didn't cover her petrified face.

The hat didn't take long to decide - "Gryffindor!", my table broke into applause - but the next student (Astia, Huld) wasn't so lucky. She sat on the stool in front of the watchful crowd for three whole minutes before the sorting hat placed her in Ravenclaw.

And so the sorting continued. Student after student was sent up to the stool until only one girl (Yach, Yasmin) remained. She was the last to be sorted into Gryffindor. I clapped with the rest of the house. I noticed some Slytherin girls eye her malevolently from their table next door.

"Did you see those Slytherin girls looking at her?" I whispered to Enzo. Oscar overheard and answered as though he had memorised this answer and could not help but reply. It was almost mechanical.

"Well she's probably-" Oscar went red again and turned around as though he had never said anything in the first place. It was very strange. But normal. Professor Dumbledore stood up and raised his arms in welcome.

"Good evening and I hope you all had an excellent journey here. But let us not be bored by my long lists of welcomes and announcements, we can deal with them all after dinner." I watched as the hall nodded in agreement. "Then let us eat." And as Dumbledore took a seat again food appeared on all the clean plates along the table and I went straight for some sausages.

**Please fell free to suggest ideas, writers block is comman and may happen at any moment. If there is anything you want to comment on please do. I know not much happened in this chapter but lots of event went into the poem which I'm very proud of! Anyway, hoped you enjoyed.**


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